The beautiful hanging spikelets come out in mid June and dangle and wave in the wind. Their heart shaped lemmas become dark glossy brown and sparkle in the sun. It grows in a variety of habitats but often with other very special flowers:

On limestone grassland with Rockrose and Ladies-mantle

On chalk grassland with Orchids

In calcareous flushes with Birds-eye Primrose

In slightly acid flushes with Common Spotted-orchid

In traditional species rich hay meadows with Wood Cranesbill or Meadow Cranesbill.

It doesn't grow on your average lawn or ryegrass pasture/silage field

I took the picture above on 27 June 2010 at Winskill Stones Nature Reserve - see how brown and burned the grass is in the background on the shallow limestone soils with the drought. In the background are Ingleborough (left) and Pen y Ghent (right)

Here is a close-up from the picture.

It kept shaking in the wind so I put a piece next to a rock. And now you see the rock is covered with lichen

It has many different local English names.

But how do you recognise it when it is not in flower?

With a group of a dozen students I give each student a different feature to remember:

They are small plants.

Small flat leaves.

Hairless

No auricles

Blades make an almost right angles with their sheaths. The shoot is erect.

Emerging leaf rolled

The above features mean it looks like, and could be confused with other pasture grasses:-
Common Bent, Sweet Vernal-grass, Crested Dog's-tail or even Small Cat's-tail

So what is special? - Learn these tips to become an expert:-

It has slightly wider, whiter, fleshier leaves than most of the above (apart from Small Cat's-tail)

The blades spiral on their own axis (as does only Small Cat's-tail)

The blades often have crimson blotches or purple polo shaped marks.

They have yellow brown dead lower sheaths (as can Crested Dog's-tail)

They have rhizomes 1 cm long. Hence if you have one Briza shoot, look one cm away and you should find another. Dig one up (with landowner's permission of course) and look for the rhizome.

And the clinching fact? - the feature you could look for and ignore all the above?
Hold a blade up to the light and look with a handlens:-

Small Cat's-tail - and small versions of Timothy - (which have wide white fleshy leaves which spiral on their own axes) also have a fancy pattern with some much whiter veins. But they do not have the extremely regular pattern that Briza does. (And they have swollen bases to their shoots and no rhizomes and no yellow brown old sheaths)

I hope you found this useful - Why not come on a Grass Identification course? And have fun learning about grasses with other people. J.A

Tuesday, 15 June 2010

Churches Together in Settle celebrated Environment Sunday by making a field trip to see local wildflowers.

But the group learned much more than wildflowers –

Botanist Dr Judith Allinson of St John’s Methodist Church, Settle took the group of 12 (from 5 different churches) to Lower Winskill Farm and met the farmer Mr Tom Lord, then they visited nearby places.

•Access for the disabled - They discovered and tried out Mr Tom Lord’s newly built brand new flat path to his haymeadow, wood, flower rich limestone pastures and viewpoint of the valley below, so that people with wheelchairs and restricted mobility could have access

•Fields Manged for Conservation interest – The group learned how the wealth of flowers in the pastures was due to the geology, past management and the way Mr Lord had be managing the land sympathetically over the past 20 years.

•Stupendous views - They had views of the Ribble valley, 100m below, up to Ingleborough 10 miles to the north and to beyond Settle in the south.
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•Stimulating discussion- Mr Lord answered questions about farming. He pointed out that Upland farming was not “sustainable." - At all.. Stunned silence. (This is an important point to people trying to be “green”.) The grants farmers get do not encourage them to save energy. – (Judith’s comment – “and there is me thinking ‘Isn’t it good that the grants that farmers get nowadays are often tied to some sort of conservation activity’ ”)

•Change in energy usage - In 1957 this farm did not have electricity. And the farmer would work from a horse and cart. – How things have changed with respect to energy consumption!

•Change in pressure on farmers – where will this lead? - The Dales landscape is one of farms built as dairy farms in the Industrial Revolution and later, supplying cities such as Leeds. But now there are no dairy farms in the 10 miles of our valley to the north, and very few to the south. The farms have changed to beef cattle and sheep. “Most large dairies will not collect from small farms any more,” he said. “The dairy at Hawes making Wensleydale cheese being an exception”. We are losing a skills base. Farming is labour intensive – it is getting more difficult to find people with the necessary skills to do farming work. People who work building stone walls have to build an awful lot of stone walls before they can afford the expensive property around here.
He gave us food for thought.

“The policy makers need to do more thinking” he said. “But it is up to all of us to try and live more sustainable lives.”

•Settle Church’s contribution – to a new European book and to Nature Conservation - Whilst on the walk Judith showed the group a book that the European Christian Environment Network have just produced this June called “God‘s rich variety-Churches in Europe helping biodiversity”. She had downloaded from the internet that morning.

“Look at page 11” she said:

From North Yorkshire to Ghana / A look on food supply and climate change

Even North Yorkshire (GB) is affected by loss of species diversity. The biologist Judith Allinson has documented the loss of species and noted that one species has disappeared every two years for at least a hundred and fifty years. (…...) The Methodist Church in Settle has started a species protection fund: with the money from this conservation groups can buy land and support a variety of projects to protect habitats worldwide under particular threat. For example some of this some of the money from Settle is invested in Ghana.
Protecting the diversity in our own back yard is important, but we need to remember the wider world.
Further information:http://rainforest-save.blogspot.comhttp://www.christian-ecology.org.uk

She thanked those members from her church at Settle who were supporting the project. “The European Christian Environment Network is meeting this week in Prague”. She said –“We must think of them. I have attended their conferences in the past as a representative of Christian Ecology Link”

After the visit to Lower Winskill the group continued to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserve “Globe-flower Wood” where they saw a little wood packed with the golden orbs of the rare Globeflower, once more common. The fields to the left were yellow with buttercups and the fields on the right golden with Kingcup. “What is it about May and the beginning of June that produces so many yellow flowers?” and “Isn’t it great that this little reserve has been protected”

Back in Settle Judith collected donations from people who came on the trip amounting to £20-00 to go to the Ghana project. “Hmm – the Widow’s mite.. But every little each of us an each church can do helps. Keep going!”

Here is a picture of us looking at the booklet on our Environment Sunday walk at Settle today. Several of these people help in fundraising for the Rainforest Fund Project.
After the walk people's donations contributed another £20-00 to our fund. Thank you!!

The text on page 11 says:-

From North Yorkshire to Ghana
Even North Yorkshire (GB) is affected by loss of species diversity.
The biologist Judith Allinson has documented the loss of species and noted that one species has disappeared every two years for at least a hundred and fifty years. In response to this the Methodist Church in Settle has started a species protection fund: with the money from this conservation groups can buy land and support a variety of projects to protect habitats worldwide under particular threat. For example some of this some of the money from Settle is invested in Ghana.
Protecting the diversity in our own back yard is important,
but we need to remember the wider world.
Further information:
http://rainforest-save.blogspot.com
http://www.christian-ecology.org.uk

And if anyone from ECEN is reading this "Hi! - I am thinking of you meet this week in Prague"

The Sunday nearest to World Environment Day (5 June) is Environment Sunday - which is today 6 June. A group of 12 of us from Churches together in Settle (five different churches represented) made a visit to Lower Winskill Farm.

We examined the beautiful flowers of the limestone pastures. Then we had an interesting talk and discussion with the farmer, Mr Tom Lord

Subscribe To The Rainforest Fund, Settle

So far we have raised ..

December: £235 made up of £191 at Coffee morning - £127 for Coffee and cakes, £64 for cards; plus £10.50 from Cards sold at Settle Spinners and £20 from one person buying cards and £23.50 from other cards - Total for 2017: £557:

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Sep-Nov 2017: £32.50 including £19.50 from Green Christian JIE Conference and £13 from Cards at Growing with Grace (Total-£312)

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June - Aug 2017: £72.50 including £68 from the talk on "Wildflower Walks around Settle" (Total for 2017: £279.50)

In Dec 2012 - so far - £137 :£65 from Rainforest Coffee morning at church. The following is all from cards: £25.5 from sale of cards at coffee morning, and £25 from cards near coffee morning; : £8 at Langcliffe Inst, £13 Growing with grace £10-50 Wholesome Bee, (Total for 2012 = £712)

In June 2012: £40 : from sale of cards:£18 from people from Scargill House on my wildflowers walk and £16 from Age UK people at haymeadow talk (Total for 2012 = £370)

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In May 2012: £74 : including from cards (£14 from sale of cards at Taitlands Tea room at Stainforth; £15 from CCG meeting at Lower Winskill; £20 from Flowers course at Malham Tarn Field Centre; £17 (Total for 2012 = £330)

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In April 2012: £26: from cards (£15 from A Rocha group at Scargill House (Total for 2012 = £256)

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In March 2012: £130: from cards including £75 from Christian Ecology Link Conference at Bristol and £35 donation from Settle Spinners and £20 from Cards in the foyer at St John's (Total for 2012 = £230)

In Dec 2011: £240 including £90from cards including £32.50 from Langcliffe Inst Christmas Sale, £11-00 at WI pantomine, £20 from people at Settle Christmas Day Lunch and £150 donation (Total for 2011 = £1,000)

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In Nov 2011: £50: From cards including £19.50 from Scottish Dancing (Total for 2011 = £760)

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In Oct 2011: £110: From cards including £45 from Worsley Church and £50 from Settle Mothers Union (Total for 2011 = £710)

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In Sept 2011: £30: From cards (Total for 2011 = £600)

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In August 2011: £20: From cards (Total for 2011 = £570)_________________________

In July 2011: £50: From £36 donation form Settle Spinners, (£6-00 cards from Settle Spinners and £8.00 cards from others (Total for 2011 = £550)_________________________

In June 2011: £85: From the profit from the Saltaire Ladies group who came for salad tea at the church hall - £29 plus the cards they bought - £16.50; The Flowers course at Malham Tarn bought £26 of cards. (Total for 2011 = £500)_________________________In April- May 2011: £55 - From My saving buying food on "Live for a £1-00 a day week": £10; Rest from cards including 1 person at Scottish dancing £15 and people at Plantlife day: £16.50 (Total for 2011 = £415)_________________________

In March 2011: £145 - Mostly from sale of cards including:- £50 from CEL conference, £25 from Horton History Society, £26 from WYSOCS; Also a £20 donation (Total for 2011 = £360)_________________________

In Feb 2011: £65 - all from sale of cards including:- £26 from Austwick Field Society and £25 from Settle Gardening Club (Total for 2011 = £215)_________________________

Starting again..in 2011: £150 in by 31 January 2011 including £109 from the Barn Dance and £26 from cards_________________________

£2600 (£600 in 2010) by Dec 31 2010 - Mostly from Greeting cards, but also £32.21 from Settle Spinners and some from a donation._________________________

£2420 (£420 in 2010) by Sept 20 2010 - From the St John's Coffee Morning in August (£106) . Also from the sale of Greetings Cards, including £28 worth from people on courses at Malham Tarn Field Centre - Acrylics, Grasses, Settle Carlisle Line and Staff)_________________________

£2250 (£250 in 2010) by June 30 2010 - Mostly from the sale of Greetings Cards, including £20 worth from people at "Folk at the Falcon" and £30 from one lady who came to the NISCU evening, and £20 donation from people who came on the Environment Sunday Walk._________________________

£2125 (£125 in 2010) by March 31 2010 - including £100 from sale of Greetings Cards and Calendars and another £25 from collection by Settle Spinning Club

_________________________Nov - December 31st 2009 - including sale of Christmas Cards and Calendars

(Total for 2009 = £567 )_________________________Sep-October 2009 - £60-00:- £52 donations at Day of Prayer on 4 Oct. £8-00 from energy meter and sale of cards

(Total for 2009 = £450)_________________________May-August 2009: £68 - £40 from cards from Choir from Dewsbury, £8-00 from profit on sale of tweezers and lenses, £10- from part of Burton in Lonsdale Ceilidh money, £8-00 sale of cards

(Total for 2009 = £47) _________________________£1433 by December 29th 2008 - including £70 from Settle WI£14 from selling Speaking Tips Booklets£70 from selling home-made Christmas cards_________________________£1279 by November 29th 2008- including £25 from a Langcliffe Singer Lady who is giving it to World Land Trust to a relation as a Christmas Present; £35 from Langcliffe Singers; and donations from a couple for receiving computing tuition_________________________£1172 by October 29th- 2008 including £50 made up from donations from 6 people who borrowed the Owl monitor, and an individual donation for £50 - Thanks._________________________£1050 by September 29th 2008 includingover £100 from the "Addingham Friendly Hour" minibus trip where we made them tea)_________________________£920 by July 29th -2008- includinga donation of £4 by a person borrowing an OWL meter - (for monitoring electricity usage)_________________________£883 by June 20th 2008- includinga donation of £100 for Cool Earth by Settle Line Dance Class at the Church Hall and £10 as the first donation online for Cool Earth, and two other donations._________________________£752 by May 20th 2008 includinga donation of £100 for World Land Trust by a family who donated half an acre of land (£25) for each of their four nephews and nieces, who received certificates._________________________£652 by April 19th 2008- includinga donation of £65 from the group who came for coffee_________________________£587 by April 14th 2008- including£160 for A Rocha Ghana£312 for World Land Trust (including £25 online donation and £30 from Scottish Country Dancing at the Hall£115 for Cool Earth_________________________£467 by April 5th 2008- including£110 for A Rocha Ghana£292 for World Land Trust (including £25 online donation and £30 from Scottish Country Dancing at the Hall£65 for Cool Earth_________________________

£392 by March 9th 2008- including£90 for A Rocha Ghana£237 for World Land Trust£65 for Cool Earth_________________________

£295 by February 9th 2008£80 for A Rocha Ghana and£215 for World Land Trust (which will buy 4 acres of forest.)